Monday, 26 March 2012

The investigation into the registered interests of the
House of Lords members has revealed serious flaws in our democracy whereby
Lords who have outside financial interests are allowed to vote on a bill that
may benefit them.

As the Health and Social Care bill went through the upper
chamber, Social Investigations highlighted the various members and their
financial links to companies involved in private healthcare. These Peers across
all parties have a mixture of interest, which include shares in private
healthcare companies; being chairman, consultants, and senior advisers to
investment groups funding the vultures ready to swoop.

At best this is self-interest, at worse this is institutional corruption and is a part of the same problem that just came to light over the donation scandal. We are not in this together, they are out for themselves and the corporations they serve.

One rule for others, one for them:
If you are a councillor at local government level with financial interest or a
partner with financial interest, then they must declare a ‘prejudicial interest’,
then they must leave the room and take no further part in discussions or
voting. In many cases this is left down to the discretion of the elected member
but with the knowledge that this will be challenged somewhere down the line.
Why are the Lords not treated in the same way?

The numbers:
In total there are 141 Peers that have these connections, representing 17% of
the total. The Conservatives who created the bill and in many quarters want to
see the NHS dismantled had over a quarter of their members with these self-interests.
This is intolerable. In addition to this
the Liberal Democrats who have allowed this bill to go through have one in ten
with these interests. This may well be the least, but none of them should have
been allowed to vote. However the self-interest is across the board with one in
six Crossbench peers and one in six Labour peers having these interests. This
means we must watch them if they get back into power in case they try and water
down any repeal.

To view full list of peers with financial interests in private healthcare
companies click here.

The investigations
will continue, with certain Lords and companies being looked at in more detail.
If you are a journalist or member of the public who has any information then
please contact me at: andrewfiskar (at) gmail.com